Paramount's R-rated action film is an update on the classic fairytale and features Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as grown-up renditions of the title characters battling witches with crossbows.
"Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters" beat out other newcomers, including crime thriller "Parker," starring Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez, which debuted in fifth place with $7 million.
Universal's supernatural horror film "Mama" starring Jessica Chastain came in second place with $12.8 million in its second weekend.
"Silver Linings Playbook," came in third place over the weekend with $10 million. The film starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence is up for eight Academy Awards.
The top 10 films of the weekend were:
1. "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters," $19 million ($25 million international).
2. "Mama," $12.8 million.
3. "Silver Linings Playbook," $10 million ($3 million international).
4. "Zero Dark Thirty," $9.8 million ($3.6 million international).
5. "Parker," $7 million.
6. "Django Unchained," $5 million ($42.9 million international).
7. "Movie 43," $5 million ($2.8 million international).
8. "Gangster Squad," $4.2 million ($6.8 million international).
9. "Broken City," $4 million ($500,000 international).
10. "Les Miserables," $3.9 million ($14 million international).
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
